Golf ball washer



April 30, 1968 J. c. PIPER. JR

GOLF BALL WASHER Filed July 8, 1966 INVENTOQ JOHN c. PIPER, JD.

United States Patent 6 3,380,095 GOLF BALL WASHER John C. Piper, Jr., Decatur, Ill., assiguor of fifty-one percent to Day E. Brown, Decatur, Ill. Filed July 8, 1966, Ser. No. 563,733 9 Claims. (Cl. 15-97) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE I A portable golf ball washer composed of a liquid holding container and a hand actuated reciprocater plunger having a golf ball holder mounted to that end of the plunger which passes through the top of the container and between the inner front and rear wall of the container. The inner front wall is adapted with a sponge-like material while the inner rear wall is adapted with a traction producing material. As the plunger is reciprocated the golf ball is in tangential rolling contact with the traction material and in washing contact with the sponge-like material. Y

2,807,037, and 3,102,291, numerous devices have been proposed to accomplish the above purpose. For example, intricate ball rotating means and carefully positioned brushes have been proposed as a means for accomplishing effective ball cleaning. Although satisfactory ball cleaning can be achieved by the above devices, extensive washing action is required and due to the devices intricate design, production costs are high and portability is sacrificed.

It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide a ball cleaning device which is capable of cleaning the entire surface of a ball effectively and efficiently.

Another object of this invention is to provide a portable ball cleaning device which can be economically produced and which can be conveniently carried on a golf cart.

A further object of this invention is to provide a portable ball washing device which avoids loss of its cleaning fluid even though it is subjected to various movements, gyrations and positions.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a portable ball washing device which is compact, lightweight, and highly effective for cleaning a golf ball with a minimum of washing effort.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a golf ball washer having components useful for multiple purposes and particularly for cleaning golf clubs.

Other objects will be readily apparent from disclosure and accompanying drawings in which like numbers represent like parts in the various views and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a ball cleaning device mounted on a golf cart.

FIGURE 2 is an overhead, side perspective view of a ball washing device mounted on a handle of a golf cart.

FIGURE 3 is a cut-away, side view of a ball washing device having a ball holding means in a depressed position and the ball held therein in contact with a resilient washing means. 7

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional of the frictionated back wall shown in FIGURE 3.

3,380,095 Patented Apr. 30, 1968 FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a ball holding means.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1 which shows a ball washing device constructed in accordance with this invention wherein a golf ball cleaning device designated generally by numeral 10 is mounted on a pivotal tow handle 11 of a golf cart. In addition to the pivotal tow handle, the cart includes a supporting frame 13 to which tow handle 11 is pivotally mounted and secured by wing nut 14. The supporting frame also includes spaced wheels 15 for travel over the ground. The frame is adapted to accommodate a bag of golf clubs 12. I

Referring now to FIGURES 2 and 3, the ball washing device 10 is form mounted by an adjustable mounting means 28 to tow handle 11 pivotally connected to frame 13 by wing nut 14. The mounting means can be tightened or loosened by turning adjusting key 27. The golf ball washing device of this invention comprises basically a liquid holding container 25 having a large opening 22 at or near the top of the container for easy removal of the ball holding means indicated generally by numeral 45. A smaller opening 18 is provided through which the plunger rod 19 can be oscillated up and down by grasping handle or knob 20. A close-fitting, liquid-lubricated gasket 34 covers the peripheral edge of the small opening 18 through which the plunger rod 19 slidably passes. A covering means 21 is provided for covering the larger opening 22 and preventing loss of a cleaning fluid present in the liquid holding container during the washing operation or during movement of the golf cart. The top part of the covering means 21'is provided with a handle 23 for convenient and simplified handling and removal of the cover. A hooking means 24 is attached to one end of the handle 23 for convenient hanging of the cover while removing or while placing a ball into the ball washer.

The liquid holding container 25 in addition to the top openings has two side walls 26 and 29, a bottom Wall 30, a short front wall 31 having a resilient, liquid-retaining inner portion 32 and a tall back wall 33 having a frictionated inner surface 35.

Referring particularly to FIGURE 3 which shows the washing device of this invention with side wall 26 removed.

The top side of the cover 21 has, as has been previously mentioned, a handle 23 running laterally along the covers top side. The bottom side of the cover 21 has a receiving notch 36 running along the front bottom portion of the cover for receiving sloped lip 40 projecting out from the containers short wall 31 and extending toward the containers tall, back wall 33.

The back bottom portion of the cover 21 has a lower ledge 42 which slidably fits under the overhang ledge 43 which extends from and which forms part of the containers top Wall 41.

The slope of overhang ledge 43 is substantially similar to the slope of lip 40 and is in opposed relation to lip 40. The lengths of ledge 42 and ledge 43 are such that when the cover is slidably forced toward the plunger rod 19, receiving notch 36 will disengage lip 40 permitting simple ,and easy removal of the cover from the container 25 by lifting the front section of the cover upwardly and pulling forward.

The bottom side of cover 23 has attached thereto a rather thick resilient sponge-like material 44. This spongelike material 44 is generally trapezoidal in shape. When the cover 23 is engaged to close the opening 22, of the container 25, the rearward corner portion 47 of the sponge-like material 44 is compressed against the long or back wall 33 of the container 25. The sponge-like material 44 having resilient characteristics will force the receiving notch36 of the bottom side of the cover 23 downwardly, in

The plunger rod 19 preferably possesses a substantially smooth outer surface. The sponge-like material 44, in addition to possessing resilient characteristics, possesses liquid retaining characteristics. This combination produces a lubricating, friction-resilient condition which will not materially restrict reciprocating movement of the plunger rod 19. The sponge-like material 44 of the cover 23 further serves as a shock absorbing stopper of the spoon-like ball holding means 46 attached to the end of the plunger rod 19 during the reciprocating action of the plunger rod 19.

In addition to the purposes and advantages above stated, the sponge-like material 44 on the bottom side of the covering means 23 can also be conveniently used, on separation from the container, to clean, for example, golf club heads and other golfing equipment.

As previously mentioned plunger rod 19 is slidably carried through the smaller opening 18 in the top wall 41 of the container 25. A knob 20 or grip is mounted on the top end of the plunger rod 19 in order to provide convenient means for grasping and reciprocating the plunger rod 19. The golf ball holding means indicated gen erally by numeral 45 is shown in detail in FIGURE 5, consists of plunger rod 19 having a knob 20 on one end and a bottomless, substantially circular spoon 46 having a tapered circular wall 50 extending rearwardly from a front edge 51 to a rear edge 52 on the other end of rod 19. The front edge 51 of the spoon 46 encircles a ball receiving or front opening 53 having a diameter slightly larger than that of a golf ball. The rear edge 52 of the spoon 46 encircles a rear opening 54 having a diameter slightly smaller than that of a golf ball. A golf ball placed in opening 53 passes through opening 53 and protrudes out without passing through opening 54.

The tapered circular Wall 50 of the spoon has a plurality of openings 55 spaced along the circular wall to permit passage of a cleaning fluid therethough during the reciprocating action of the plunger rod 19. The passage of fluid through the openings 55 in the tapered wall 50 of the spoon 46 also produces a floating effect on a golf ball held therein during the reciprocating action of the plunger rod 19 as well as decreasing resistance to the ball holding means 45 passing through the cleaning fluid.

The liquid holding container 25, as previously mentioned, has, in addition to a cover 23, topwall 41, two side walls 26 and 29, and bottom wall 30, a frictionated long back wall 33 having a frictionated inner surface 35 and a resilient, liquid-retaining short wall 31 having a resilient, liquid retaining material 32 attached to its inner surface.

The frictionated back wall or second wall 33 or traction means of the container has or is provided with a frictionated surface 35 which possesses good engagement characteristics with the surface of a ball reciprocated between the frictionated surface 35 and resilient front wall 31. For purposes of this invention the expression good engagement characteristics means that the frictionated surface has a coefiicient of friction in the cleaning fluid sufficiently high enough to substantially rotate or roll a ball passed in pressing tangential contact with the frictionated surface. A frictionated surface having a high coefficient of friction, that is, a coeflicient of friction capable of causing a ball in tangential contact therewith to substantially roll over, rather than slide over, the frictionated surface can be 4 achieved; forexample, by adheringtothe surface of the wall friction producing materials such as granular metal, glass, wood, plastic, sand, and the like, either alone or in combination. A wall surface having a high coefiicient of friction can also be achieved by roughing the inner surface of the wall, as by coarse sanding, etching, striating and by other known means which will effectively overcome a smooth, substantially friction-free surface.

FIGURE 4 shows a magnified sectional of a suitable back wall 33 having a frictionated surface 35. The advantages of a frictionated wall can be demonstrated by gluing a strip of double 0 sandpaper to the back Wall of a ball washing structure such as that shown in the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the use of, for example, double 0 sandpaper is merely for demonstrating the effect of a frictionated wall and is not intended to imply or suggest a particular limitation as to the type of material or manner for achieving the desired frictionated surface.

In opposed relation to the frictionated back wall 33 is a resilient liquid-retaining inner Wall or first wall 31 having a liquid retaining material 32 attached thereto. The surface of the resilient wall 31 is distinguished from the surface of the frictionated wall 33 in that it has a coefficient of friction below that of the frictionated wall. It is believed that the difference in the c'oeflicients of friction of the two inner walls produces a sliding or rubbing action against the resilient wall 31 and a rolling action against the frictionated wall 3. It is this sliding or rubbing action against the resilient wall 31 which is substantially increased by the counter-rotation of the ball provided by the frictionated wall 33, which is responsible for the improved washing action on a golf ball reciprocated therein. The resilient liquid-retaining wall can be best achieved by attaching or mounting a sponge-like material on a solid sheet of material such as wood, plastic, and the like. The sponge-like material is characterized by its ability to absorb and retain substantial quantities of fluid which may be released by applying pressure, such as by squeezing, and the ability of the material to return to its original shape and volume upon release of the applied pressure.

The space between the surface of the frictionated wall 33 and the surface of the resilient wall 31 is less than the diameter of the ball being Washed. In a preferred embodiment of this invention, this space or distance between the surfaces of the two walls is generally 50% or less of the diameter of the ball being washed. By having a space between the two walls of less than the diameter of the ball, the ball is forced against and embedded into the resilient wall 31 during the washing of the ball. This continuous increased contact coupled with the simultaneous counter-rotation of the ball during the reciprocating washing action is believed to be further responsible for the improved and efficient Washing action achieved by the ball washer of this invention.

In operation the cover 21 of the container 25 is removed and a quantity of liquid cleaning agent is added to the container to a point where the container is approximately /3 to /2 full. Generally the liquid cleaning agent will consist of water having a small amount of detergent therein. The handle or grip 20 on the plunging rod 19 is manually gripped and the ball holding means 45 lifted from the container 25. The ball holding means 45 is placed in a substantially horizontal position and the golf ball is inserted in opening 53. The ball holding means 45 containing the ball is then placed in the container 25 with opening 53 facing the resilient Water-retaining wall 31. The portion of the plunger rod 19 just below the handle 20 is placed into the small opening 18 located in the top wall 41 of the container 25. The cover 21 is then replaced over the large opening 22 by sliding the covers lower ledge 42 under the upper ledge 43 of the container 25 and pushing downward. By pulling the cover 21 slightly downward, the notch 36 of the cover 21 is engaged with the lip 40 of the front Wall 31 of the container 25. The cover 21 is engaged with the lip 40 of the front wall 31 of the container 25. The cover 21 is now in a substantially locked position as a result of the pressure exerted by the corner 47 of the sponge 44 attached to the bottom side of the cover 21 pressing upward and forward off the back wall 33.

The handle 20 is then manually grasped and agitated in an up-and-down action. During this reciprocating action, the ball is in continuous tangential contact with the frictionated back wall 33 and in continuous embedded relation with the spongy or resilient water-retaining front wall 31. As the plunger is depressed or pushed downward, the ball is rolled over the frictioned wall 33 in the direction of the plunger. This causes movement of the ball against the spongy front wall 31 in a direction opposite to the path of the ball holding means 45. When the spoon portion 46 of the ball holding means 45 reaches the bottom wall 30 or floor of the container 25, the plunger rod 19 is pulled upward and the process just described is repeated in reverse order. By the above operation the ball is cleaned to a degree which heretofore Was not possible. Upon completion of the washing operation, the cover 21 is disengaged from lip 40 and lifted from the container. The ball holding means 45 is lifted from the container 25 and the clean ball removed therefrom and dried. The ball holding means 45 is replaced in the container 25 and the cover 21 is re-engaged.

If the golfer desires to clean the heads of his golf clubs, the cover 21 of the ball washer may be removed as previously directed and the spongy material 44 attached to the bottom side of the cover 21 is applied to the head of the club in a washing action. The cover 21 is then returned to the container 25 and the club head dried.

It should be apparent from the above that a golf ball washer has been provided which will wash a golf ball efiiciently and elfectively with a minimum of Washing action. It should be further apparent that the device of this invention is provided with components having numerous uses. Although various changes may be made in the form, detail, arrangement, design, and preparation of the parts herein shown and described, it is understood that these changes or modifications would not depart from the scope of my invention, which is described herein and set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A ball cleaning device including a container, a reciprocating plunger extending in part into said container having a ball holding means at one end thereof and a scrubbing means having a resilient liquid-retaining first wall and a second wall having a frictionated inner surface spaced from said first wall to permit a ball held in said ball holding means to pass reciprocat-ively between said Walls in substantial tangential contact with said frictionated inner surface and in washing contact with said resilient liquid retaining wall.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said scrubbing means includes a liquid holding container having a top wall with an opening therein.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said container includes a back wall having a frictionated inner surface and a front wall having an inner section comprising a resilient liquid-retaining material.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said frictionated surface has a coefficient of friction capable of producing a substantial rolling action on a ball in tangential contact with said frictionated surface.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the resilient liquidretaining front wall is capable of substantial washing action.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said reciprocating plunger includes a plunger rod having on one end a bottomless spoon having a tapered wall extending rearwardly and inwardly from the spoons front edge to the spoons rear edge for holding a ball.

7. The device of claim 6 including a covering means having a bottom wall for covering the opening in the top wall of the container.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said botom wall of the covering means comprises a spongy liquid retaining material.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein said container has an opening in the top thereof for receiving said plunger and a cover for the opening in the top of the container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,902,960 8/1933 Cogsdill 15103.5 2,023,932 12/1935 Meikle 152.1 2,744,274 5/1956 Procario et a1. 15-97 3,041,645 7/1962 Smith 15-97 3,077,626 2/ 1963 Thomas 15-97 3,099,027 7/1963 Illo 1521.1 3,102,291 9/1963 Frater 1521.1

CHARLES A. WILLM-UTH, Primary Examiner. R. I. SMITH, Assistant Examiner. 

